View full sizeBrandon Wade, Associated PressAfter a solid rookie season, quarterback Sam Bradford and the Rams are struggling this year.

BEREA, Ohio — When Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford meet for the first time in their NFL careers Sunday, it will be under much different circumstances than in their Red River Rivalry in college.

They held the fastest guns in the West when they staged some classic shootouts. McCoy threw for 324 yards in a 28-21 Texas loss to Oklahoma in 2007. The next year, Bradford posted 357 yards and five touchdowns -- yet lost, 45-35.

Bradford was hurt early in their final head-to-head meeting. McCoy prevailed in that one and also beat Texas' greatest rival as a freshman before Bradford got on the field.

Neither left college with a national championship ring. Their consolation prizes weren't bad. McCoy rang up the most all-time college wins, and Bradford took home a Heisman Trophy.

Passing along the same trails, they became friends. Now they're sharing amazingly similar experiences as professionals with the Browns and St. Louis Rams.

Both are struggling in their second seasons, dealing with protection breakdowns, receiver issues and trying to operate offensive systems new to each without the benefit of typical off-season minicamps.

"We're kind of in unique situations," McCoy said.

"We kind of flip-flopped offenses without an off-season."

View full sizeAPIt's been that kind of season for Colt McCoy and the Browns.

Yes, McCoy is running the West Coast offense that Bradford learned as a rookie, and Bradford is running the New England offense that McCoy learned as a rookie.

"I think we've probably talked more since we've been out of college just because we've been through some of the same things, shared some experiences in the league," Bradford said on a conference call.

One of the most recent times they talked was when Bradford called McCoy to get tips on rehabbing from a high ankle sprain. Yes, Bradford suffered the dreaded injury this year. McCoy had it last year and missed three games.

Their NFL career paths have intersected in other ways.

Bradford was the Rams' and the NFL's first overall draft pick in 2010. His offensive coordinator at the time was Pat Shurmur, who now is McCoy's head coach. When Shurmur scouted quarterbacks before that draft, he spent as much time on McCoy.

"I watched every one of their throws from college, junior and senior year," Shurmur said. "They all kind of ran together. Throw after throw after throw."

The Browns wound up selecting McCoy in the third round 84 spots after Bradford. But not before President Mike Holmgren made one last pitch to the Rams to try to move up from No. 5 to select Bradford.

It turned out that Bradford stepped foot on the Cleveland Browns Stadium field before McCoy. In the second preseason game of 2010 -- first at home for the Browns -- an injury to Rams starter A.J. Feeley on the first series put Bradford in the game prematurely. McCoy waited until a cameo appearance in the fourth quarter to make an inauspicious home debut.

After Bradford's next practice game, the Rams put him in there for good. He took every snap at quarterback, set numerous NFL rookie records, led his team to a surprising 7-9 record and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year.

McCoy had his moments in the middle of his first season, too, upsetting New Orleans and New England and nearly pulling out a win over the Jets.

But now each is learning that automatic success is not sustained in the NFL. McCoy's Browns are 3-5 and Bradford's Rams are 1-7. This week, McCoy ranks 28th among NFL quarterbacks. Bradford is 31st.

"I always had a great deal of respect for Colt as a winner," Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "They'll do that there, too. This is an up-and-down season, a tough haul.

"I think their offense is fighting the same hurdles as us in a lot of ways. It's been a new system in a short amount of time, and yet I see a lot of flashes of Colt executing that offense the way Pat wants it to be. I think they're on track, and I see a lot of positives."

Bradford is learning the longer pass routes contained in the playbook of new coordinator Josh McDaniels, of Canton and formerly of New England, subjects him to more hits. He was sacked 34 times in 16 games last year. He has been sacked 25 times in six games this season.

"He helped the St. Louis Rams win seven games [last season], and I think he's a fine quarterback," Shurmur said. "I'm assuming that he's making that same progress this year.

"I know he's had the injury that's kept him out a couple weeks. Based on what I saw last week [against Arizona], Sam went in there and executed pretty well. You could tell he wasn't totally 100 percent physically. But he's a tough guy, and I think he's developed well. He'll continue to develop within their system."

The bottom line to the quarterbacks' struggles is learning a new system with new teammates forced to play because of injuries to regulars.

"I think quarterbacks at this level are here because they know how to play the game," Shurmur said. "You learn a system, and then in order to execute efficiently, you've got to get used to the pieces around you. When you have a chance to be in a system for a long time, it helps. As you're learning it, then everybody has to kind of grow together. And I think sometimes it affects the quarterback."

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